Bristol Sauce X The Everyday: Where To Go For A Second Date in Bristol

Second dates are like axolotls; they require extremely specific conditions in which to thrive. We are not in the business of recommending restaurants for first dates, because everybody knows that going for dinner on a first date is a terrible idea. A first date must be low-stakes on the commitment front, one that can be evacuated quickly if events turn south. A subsequent date offers a wealth of opportunity. As Robert De Niro observed in Taxi Driver, “you can tell a lot about someone from how they eat”.

For example, a date in a restaurant allows clarification on a great many character traits. Is your beau an absolute arse to the staff, for example? Is their list of dietary requirements longer than the Yellow Pages? Were they late or on time? And who had the foresight to reserve a table? These are all things well worth knowing before any emotional investment. You don’t want to spend your life with someone who chews with their mouth open, baptising you with spittle and soup.

So, here are the Bristol restaurants that myself and my team at The Bristol Sauce deem the optimum venues for a second rendezvous; places with atmosphere spilling out the doors and food that won’t let you down, even if your date does. After all, dating is hard work; don’t do it on an empty stomach.

Bravas, Cotham Hill

There’s nothing sexier than a date showing you that they mean business, by which I mean insisting on extra bread with aioli and sucking all the juice out of generous prawn heads. There’s no better place for such business than Bravas — an inherently sexy restaurant that really does make you feel like you’re in a back alley of Barcelona. Your fingers will meet over the last crisp frite of aubergine with molasses and the rest will be history. If things are really going well (and I don’t mean the food — that’s a given) then there are two excellent cocktail bars nearby to keep you going ’til the early hours: The Crying Wolf and Her Majesty’s Secret Service. And if things are not going so well, Whiteladies Road is well served for escape options.

Cotto, St Stephen’s Street

Nobody does romance like the Italians. Bristol has a plethora of great Italian restaurants; Cotto is one of the most accessible but by no means do they cut any corners. This is imperative on a second date when one wants to create a sense of occasion without blowing the bank. After all, things could still go either way. In Cotto, the lights are low and the mood is warm. The negronis are excellent, as is the wine list, so you’ll be well oiled. As for dinner, you could go full Lady and the Tramp with linguine alla puttanesca as long as you aren't worried about the potential implications of suggesting ‘whore’s pasta’ this early on. If you’re not quite so bold, there are plenty of other options and the team are well known for being able to cater for most diets with advance warning. Cotto is also well served for cocktail-shaking neighbours; for a dessert-cum-cocktail extravagance, head to Brozen, to determine your date’s star sign and decipher some tarot, head to The Raven.

Cor, North Street

I once went on a date and had an utterly brilliant time. When I got home, I realised that it was not because of the man I’d been on the date with, but rather the fact that I’d planned the whole thing and taken us to great places. The man was merely a witness to me having a wonderful evening. COR is a restaurant where it is virtually impossible to have a bad time; and thus you must approach with caution. Are you enjoying yourself because your date is impossibly hot and witty, or is it because the staff are charming you with exquisite cocktails over the bar? Can you not stop thinking about the magnetic presence of the person across the table (or maybe sat next to you at the counter), or are you in fact just unable to stop thinking about the zesty, umami cavatelli beans and savoury canelé? Is it that your potential lover would appease your parents and impress your friends, or is it in fact that you have come to the sudden realisation that you must bring everyone you know to this fabulous restaurant? It’s an easy mistake to make. Either way, good times are guaranteed.

The Scrandit, Christmas Steps

The Scrandit is where to take your date if you wish to impress them with your knowledge of the underground food scene. But do not forget, it is them who should be impressing you! Do they know their Cambodian from their Cantonese? The Scrandit hosts a different chef in their kitchen every week and has a near-flawless reputation for curating a line-up of soon-to-be culinary stars. So while the food may vary wildly, it’s always top quality. Plus, the communal nature of the central dining table means that if your date is deathly boring, there’ll be someone else around to talk to.

Other, Bedminster

We’ve all been there; that moment when conversation just dries up and both parties just sit pretending to enjoy the amicable silence while secretly sweating in panic. At Other you will not run out of things to talk about. For starters there’s the Wallace and Gromit themed plates, topped with delightful things like crisps and dip done proper or chicken and sesame toast. Then you’ll be able to debate the difference between hogget and mutton, and that’s before you even get to what to order for dessert. The bright orange walls will make even the dullest of dates feel optimistic, and there’s always the nearby Kask wine to drown your sorrows if things don’t work out.

Tocayo, Old Market

Breakfast dates are the future. Hear me out: if the vibes are all present and correct — you have the whole day to enjoy together. Breakfast is merely the beginning of your epic love story. If you arrive and realise instantly that you’ve made a terrible mistake — breakfast is usually a quicker affair than dinner and you’ve still got the rest of the day to make up for it. Tocayo is a relatively new, Mexican brunch spot on Old Market at which you can wash your chilaquiles down with a champurrado. You won’t leave empty handed: even if the match is not made in heaven, the shelves are stocked with Mexican treasures from Clifton’s Otomi that you won’t be able to resist. Plus, nobody wants to date a spice wimp. Best to filter them out early on.

So there you have it. Go forth and re-download Tinder/Hinge/Feeld or whatever everyone is using these days. May you find a dining partner who is truly worthy.

Written by Meg Houghton-Gilmour, the founder of The Bristol Sauce

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